San Mateo Travel, Info and News

San Mateo, Calif. isn't exactly a hidden gem of San Mateo County, nor is it a hidden gem of the San Francisco Peninsula. Lots of people know about it — and if you're looking for a place to live in the Bay Area, it has many, many pluses. Housing prices attest to the City of San Mateo's popularity as you'll discover when you're looking to buy or rent.

As a tourist attraction, however, San Mateo is one of the lesser recognized destinations in the county, mainly because its location facing the bay on the eastern side of the peninsula doesn't quite rival the sandy, coastal beaches and renowned surfing along the Pacific Ocean in Half Moon Bay and Pacifica.

By the numbers it's likely that many more people actually pass through San Mateo than the coast, however, thanks to it being only 4 or 5 miles from San Francisco International Airport, SFO. (Half of the hotels in San Mateo have San Francisco Airport in their name.)

Annual events & attractions

San Mateo County Fair held annually at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds in San Mateo is a week-long affair with 30+ awesome and scary carnival rides, a midway with games, entertainment, foods for the sweet tooth, concerts, contests and barnyard critters. The fair usually takes place in late May and early June.

Summer Concerts in Central Park held traditionally on select Thursdays in June & July.  4th of July celebration in the park also includes a free concert.

Halloween Boo's on B Street is a downtown Trick or Treat event designed for kids and families. Children can dress in costume and celebrate in a well-lit area, welcomed by merchants.

San Mateo on Ice has welcomed thousands of merry ice skaters during the months of November, December and January. The REAL ice rink is surrounded by the beautiful trees in Central Park where temperatures rarely drop below the 50s in winter.

Curiodyssey is a year-round attraction described and a Science Playground and Zoo. While smaller than most zoos the facility does contain some fun and interesting animals, bugs and birds. Kids love to romp and explore the rotating, interactive exhibits that keep families coming back for more.

Holiday Lighted Boat Parade presented by Coyote Point Yacht Club and Marina is the highlight to a year of activities the membership-based club hosts. From summer boating classes for youth to the holiday parade, you don't have to be a member to enjoy some of the yacht club's offerings.

Nutcracker Sweet is a production of San Mateo-based Peninsula Ballet Theatre, which presents an abridged version of The Nutcracker ballet, geared toward young audiences. The show is presented in December. 

The City of San Mateo is set between two dominant physical features, San Francisco Bay to the east and the ridge of hills along the City's western border. The significant natural resource areas in San Mateo are the Bay Shoreline, Marina Lagoon, Sugarloaf Mountain, San Mateo, Beresford, and Laurel creeks, and certain undeveloped private lands which provide open space and wildlife habitat.

 San Mateo borders San Francisco Bay and Foster City to the east, Hillsborough to the west, Burlingame to the north,  and Belmont to the south.

For a city with a population exceeding more than 100,000 its location is desirable partially because of the many transportation options:

• San Francisco International Airport
• U.S. Route 101
• Interstate 280
• State Route 92
• San Mateo-Hayward Bridge
• CalTrain with stations San Mateo, Hillsdale & Hayward Park
• SamTrans local bus service
• AC Transit transbay bus service

San Mateo is a mostly built-out city. The majority of new development will consist primarily of infill, reuse, or redevelopment of existing developed sites.

The city limits of San Mateo include roughly 1,200 acres of bay waters and some three miles of shoreline. Most of the Bay frontage is owned by the City of San Mateo and the County of San Mateo, with some properties held in private ownership. The Bay Conservation and Development Commission has rated the San Mateo shoreline as "high" for value as waterfowl habitat. The largest tidal marsh area, and the City's most significant wetland, is the 50-acre Bay Marshes off shore in the southeast corner of the City adjacent to Foster City.

Marina Lagoon is 185 acres in size and approximately 4.5 miles long. While the lagoon primarily serves a flood control purpose, it also has recreational and wildlife value. The lagoon includes a small (.4 acre) island at the mouth of the former Seal Slough which supports roosting, nesting, and feeding shorebirds and waterfowl.